Screen time not recommended for infants, World Health Organization says

[Shawn Knight]

A hot potato: Researchers and concerned parents for years have questioned the potential harm that screen time may pose to young and impressionable minds. When kids are locked into screens for hours on end, they’re usually sedentary and isolated. This lack of physical exercise probably isn’t good for the body and not interacting with peers may stunt language and social skills.

Infants under the age of one shouldn’t be exposed to electronic screens of any type according to guidelines recently published by the World Health Organization.

The United Nations agency further notes that sedentary screen time (watching TV / videos or playing computer games) is not recommended for infants. Screen time for children aged two to four should be restricted to no more than one hour per day. “Less is better,” the agency adds.

The issue isn’t limited to children, either, as tech giants like Apple and Google have recently taken steps to make users of all ages more aware of how much time they are spending on devices.

On the flip side, one could argue that children could get a lot out of educational programming viewed on mobile devices. Surely it’s got to be more beneficial than playing with Hot Wheels, no?

The problem, like many things in life, is striking a balance. A little bit of screen time may not be a bad thing but giving a kid unfettered access to a mobile screen probably isn’t good, either.

Lead image courtesy Gary Perkin via Shutterstock

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https://www.techspot.com/news/79789-screen-time-not-recommended-infants-world-health-organization.html

 

[ShagnWagn]

"On the flip side, one could argue that children could get a lot out of educational programming viewed on mobile devices. Surely it’s got to be more beneficial than playing with Hot Wheels, no?"

It can be debated. Educational programming doesn't need to come from electronics/mobile devices. We shouldn't let our children feel they must "need" a device to live life, as so many are today (and depression without). It really saddens me. I feel tactile and real-world playtime is very valuable as it expands their horizons into mechanical abilities and coordination. Not to mention physical activity which leads to overall better health (not obesity). Physical stimulation increases motor skills.

I see positives on both sides. Everything in moderation seems to be the golden rule.

 

[Bubbajim]

"On the flip side, one could argue that children could get a lot out of educational programming viewed on mobile devices. Surely it’s got to be more beneficial than playing with Hot Wheels, no?"

It can be debated. Educational programming doesn't need to come from electronics/mobile devices. We shouldn't let our children feel they must "need" a device to live life, as so many are today (and depression without). It really saddens me. I feel tactile and real-world playtime is very valuable as it expands their horizons into mechanical abilities and coordination. Not to mention physical activity which leads to overall better health (not obesity). Physical stimulation increases motor skills.

I see positives on both sides. Everything in moderation seems to be the golden rule.

I would add to this that independent, imaginative play is hugely important for children's development. Being able to explore the real world and how things interact is way better for a child than being spoon-fed some information from a screen. Kids are little scientists, let them experiment!

 

[Uncle Al]

"On the flip side, one could argue that children could get a lot out of educational programming viewed on mobile devices. Surely it's got to be more beneficial than playing with Hot Wheels, no?"

No .... it's been documented many times that "creative play" is a highly organized and beneficial activity to brain development. The problem with so much screen time isn't so much content but the fact that it suppresses so much other development created by face to face activity with people, pets, things and in general, the world around us.

No doubt that computers do have their place in education and development; the issue comes down to how much is healthy and when the time does less good which is not necessarily more harm. Children need to develop social skills with their peers long before they are introduced to a device that creates a solitary environment .....